Digimon Adventure Negative 01
by UrazamayKing
Summary: AU (Sorry about the painfully un-creative name) What would have happened if the Digidestined never entered the Digital World, and never met their partners, where would each of them have ended up-would their stories be different? "They say that souls travel in groups so that in every timeline you're right next to the ones you love, even if you don't realize it."
1. Promises We Don't Intend to Keep

**U/N:** Sooo... I'm not entirely sure what I'm doing here. I wanted to write this type of story for a while, but a bunch of ideas were running around, and I guess this is what happened. I stuck with third person to get a feel of different writing styles, so let me know if that works people who may potentially review this.

It isn't edited. I _just_ wrote it... so the honorifics or whatever they may be called are likely off a little, and the first person-third person may slip a little, let me know if you spot anything so I can tweak it. I just wanted to try third person.

The story was basically formed from the idea that I wanted to do something that involved Miyako since she seems to be my favourite character, though I can't be sure really... it keeps changing.

Anyway, I hope you like it and review—and yes, I do realize that it's very cliché high school drama type thing, but I was thinking of pulling in different types of high school cliché drama stuff with each different character (Not sure if I'm doing all twelve, I know they'll all be there—heck they're almost all in _this_ chapter—but so far I know I'm doing Miyako, Koushiro, Takeru and Taichi. I don't know yet about the others.) Like I was saying though—review :D (Specifically about things like description... that's I think where I'm lacking the most in writing...)

And... Sorry about the general name—can't think of one xD

**Title:****Digimon Adventure ~Negative 01~**

**By: Urazamay King**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or its characters.**

**Chapter 1: Promises You Don't Intend to Keep**

Miyako Inoue stared at her reflection in the foggy mirror as she wrapped the damp white towel around her long thick violet curls. She ran wiped the mirror clean half-heartedly and barred her teeth into the mirror. She had been running late today so she'd stuffed a pop tart down and hurried into the shower. Her teeth were clean, but she figured that she would rather be late than unsanitary, so she picked up her tooth brush and hurriedly uncapped the toothpaste, only to have it slip from her wet fingers in her haste.

She groaned but decided that she didn't care about that cap. She never much liked it anyway.

After a few minutes her teeth were brushed and her hair was as dry as it was going to get, so she threw on a the gaudy green school uniform she had been forced to wear.

She rushed from the bathroom, a hairbrush in hand, pulling through the rough tangles of hair as she ran into her bedroom. She scanned the room for a bandana to throw over her hair, but was unsuccessful. Using her sixth sense she knew it was going to be a bad hair day. Because _every_ day was a bad hair day. So she knew she needed something.

She crept out of her bedroom and slid her stocking feet across the firm wooden floor and slipped into the one across the hall, poking her head in first to ensure that her older sister Chiziru was still asleep. She didn't expect much else. It was a school day, so she knew Chiziru would 'accidentally' sleep until three o'clock.

The room was a mess, as always, but it was better that way. She'd never notice that one of her hats was missing. As Chiziru breathed heavily and loudly, her face squashed against her pillow, Miyako searched her room, throwing aside dirty clothes that smelled like they hadn't been washed in months. Finally she found a hat. It wasn't her favourite, and it clashed with her uniform, but it would do. She slapped the beret onto her head and then, as quietly as she could, exited her sister's bedroom.

The moment the door clicked shut she moved almost in a panic as she tore down the wooden stairs two at a time, holding the railing tightly. She was at the front door a second later, slipping a pair of shoes over her socks and her bag over her shoulder.

"Miyako?" It was her mother, speaking from the source of the smell of cookies. "Could you remember to get the mail on your way in from school?"

"Yeah, sure!" She called back. "I gotta go though! Bye Mom! Love you!"

She was sure her mother had said that she loved her back, but she'd slammed the door shut, and rushed through the carpeted hallway of the apartment building toward the elevator where a short elderly woman was slowly working her way on. Miyako waited impatiently, having only the faint hum of the elevator music to tide her over. Eventually though she managed to get into the elevator and watch the silver doors close.

It was the same thing every morning. A simple routine. Get in the elevator, click the round number one button, and then rush off to school to sit there all day, and then come home and do homework.

It seemed rather ludicrous to Miyako, but she knew that if she questioned the system too much she'd just end up like Chiziru. A very smart girl who just so happened to enjoy doing nothing. All day. Every day. An empty shell of what could have been, a sad reminder that life could have been better. But a helpful lesson for Miyako nonetheless.

Soon Miayko was walking along the wet sidewalk at a quick pace, cutting through the damp, foggy spring air. The air itself smelled like flowers and rain, but there was a strange smell coming from the local car repair shop. As always.

Kana, Miyako's best friend spread a rumour about Minoru-San and how he and his son would hide away in the basement and do some heavy, dangerous drugs. The police had investigated them on more than one occasion because the rumours had grown so out of hand, but they'd never been caught.

About halfway to school, a pink shingled house sat on a corner with a colourful picket fence lining the yard. There were many exotic animals living in the house, ranging from colourful birds to dangerous snakes. The family who lived there had come to be known as the town-joke. Miyako felt sorry for them, and refused to make fun of them with her friends, but she secretly agreed.

There was something weird about that family. Miyako never saw anything but a very bright, friendly smile on the woman's face, and even know, she was out and about, watering her colourful flowers with her pet goat wandering about around her. The man of the house was a very gruff looking man, but he too wore a smile on most occasions. It was the son that was really out of place. Miyako knew him from school, and had never, not once seen a smile on his face.

She wondered vaguely what his name was. She had heard it before on occasion, as her friends would speak of him in such an unsightly way... but she couldn't quite place it. He was in the computer club with her though, for the two days she had stayed signed up. Her new friends told her immediately that it was very 'un-cool' to be in the computer club. She missed it though. She had been in the computer club in her last school, and no one ever told her it wasn't cool—though no one really talked to her either.

Her only friend had been a younger boy named Iori. He lived a few doors down from her in the apartment building, and he'd tried to hang out every now and then, but Kana and the others told her very pointedly that he wasn't a very cool kid. Being cool had many rules, and Miyako had never been very good at following them.

She came back to her senses just as she had been about to walk through the 'Dark-Alley'. That's what the neighbourhood kids had dubbed it. The walls were roughly six feet high, made of stone that had been spray painted so many times, with so many profanities overlapping one another that it had become entirely illegible. There were trees lining the wall on the other side, each of them dead from the toxic fumes and whatever else was in the air, leaving only dry, brittle branches to hang over the wall like claws.

Down the alley was where a group of kids known as the 'Gang of six' the 'kids-with-no-future' the 'GangStars' or more commonly, 'Hooligans'. They weren't people that anyone would want to mix with. Well, apparently. Miyako had never met, or even seen any of them. She'd heard them once passing by in the dark street outside her home at night, but that was it.

She realized she was staring when her attention was caught by her schoolbag slipping down her arm. She caught it before it fell into a puddle and then hurried off toward the school.

It wasn't long until she was throwing open the peeling blue doors of the high school, and stepping onto the rug in the door where she stomped off any leftover mud. As one would usually do with such a mat.

She noticed there was a red haired boy setting up a table in the middle of the lobby. He was piling flyers that Miyako didn't have time to look at, but there was a sign hanging from the table that read 'save school clubs'. She wasn't part of any school clubs, so she didn't know anything about whatever issue was rising, nor did she care. She was late for class. Again.

She ran along the stained tiled floor of the school, rushing through the twists and turns of the hallways until finally she was standing in front of her classroom door.

She swallowed the nervous lump that had formed in her throat as she reached for the metal door knob. Finally she sighed and pushed the door open, wincing instantly as she felt the piercing eyes of all of the students snap directly in her direction, desperate for something—anything—more interesting than the work they'd been assigned.

Akimoto-Sensei turned sharply from his place by the chalkboard, only to let his brows furrow, and his eyes to narrow, forming the most vicious of glares. Miyako knew from experience that he wouldn't say anything until the end of the class, so she walked slowly to her seat, feeling all eyes watching her all the way as she walked through the desks to the back of the classroom where Kana sat, a wicked grin plastered across her face as her blonde hair was held tightly back into a very neat bun.

Miyako sat down as quietly as she could next to Kana as she leaned across the aisle and whispered nearly inaudibly, "Are you ever on time?" Miyako shook her head in reply with a small smile, hoping to avoid any conversation to prevent any further conflict with the teacher, but Kana quickly added "Nice hat." Before retracting into her seat where she continued scribbling through her notebook, copying down the work on the board like the rest of the class.

Miyako followed suit instantly, and actually managed to work solidly for about ten minutes until she started to lose focus.

_How am I supposed to keep focus with him sitting right there?_ Miyako thought to herself as she watched the boy in the front row. His skin was tanned, his mouth was formed into a goofy grin, even then, when nothing funny was happening. His dark, chocolate brown eyes were staring out the window to the foggy soccer field. Was that all he ever thought about? Soccer?

"Motomiya-Kun!" Akimoto-Sensei shot loudly, dropping a large text book onto his desk. "You can play outside during lunch time, but during my class time I expect your full attention."

"Yes sir." He said in his smooth, velvety voice as he adjusted the popped collar on his school uniform. He turned back to the board and then searched aimlessly for his pencil. He shrugged the mystery off and settled with staring out the window once more. He had caught the eye of Akimoto-Sensei but was saved by the bell as it rang loudly through the classroom.

Everyone around me stood and gathered their things before heading off to their next classes. Daisuke lingered a little longer than the others as he lazily scooped his things into his arms and headed out of the classroom.

"You should watch where you stare." Kana pointed out with a sharp hiss to her voice, "He's going to catch you one day." There was a strange knowing look in the way Kana was staring at Miyako, and it made her feel uneasy.

She felt my face turn red instantly as I looked away, closing my notebook. "I-I don't know what you're talking about..." She said quietly. She could tell her lie was feeble, but she stuck to it anyhow, unwilling to let Kana know another one of her secrets. Not after what happened last time.

"If you say so." She said, her eyebrows raising. "I'll see you at lunch. See you Miyako." She headed to the door, but shouted a quick, "Good luck!" Over her shoulder before leaving.

I turned to see Akimoto-Sensei staring straight at me. "Miyako..." He sighed, "How many times do we have to do this?"

"At least once more?" Miyako tried, but he didn't see any humour in her statement, nor did she. He shook his head and sat down in his chair slowly, creating a long and awkward pause before slowly glancing up at her through his thick glasses.

"Unfortunately, due to lack of school budget, there is no one to watch over Detention," He explained finally in his airy voice. He straightened his tie and ran his fingers through his hair the way he did when he was thinking of the solution to something. Finally he nodded, "We will be having a new student join us tomorrow, I'd appreciate if you could show him around."

"That's my punishment?" Miyako asked, both confused and relived. "Is he cute?" His face dropped suddenly and Miyako's turned bright red. "I'm sorry!" she assured him.

"Just see to it that this boy doesn't get lost on his first day." Akimoto-Senpai said firmly before motioning for me to leave the classroom. "Now hurry along. I don't want you to be late for your next class as well. We only have so many new students." Miyako laughed at his joke and politely let herself out of the classroom, hurrying off to her next class.

She wasn't late for the next class, but she also paid very little attention. They were nearing the end of the semester, and before the review for the final examination the class each had to make a presentation about a historical event of their choice.

The teacher's pet had gone that day, talking about a war that had happened in the early twentieth Century which thoroughly uninterested Miyako.

"Thank you Hikari!" Was all the instructor managed to say before the bell rang. She had talked all class. The whole time. Miyako rolled her eyes and threw her things into her bag before slinging it over her shoulder and stalking out of the classroom. "Miyako!" She heard the teacher call for her, but she knew she would only be asked if her presentation was ready for the following week. Which it wasn't. She'd get it done though.

Soon enough she was standing in the lobby of the school where she and Kana met up every day. In the center of the room that boy was still standing by his table, holding the flyers out to try to hand them to random students. Miyako glanced quickly for Kana, and when she didn't see her she strode through the throng of students to stand at the table.

"Hello!" She said, catching the boy's attention.

"Hey!" He said brightly, turning toward her, only to have his face fall suddenly. "Oh. It's you."

Miyako shook that off as him just having a bad day. She held out her hand for him to shake. "I'm Miyako Inoue."

"I know who you are." The boy said sharply. "You joined the computer club for a couple of days. A bunch of kids joined because there was a girl there... A 'real live girl' as they had called you." He used his fingers to illustrate his quotations, "And then you quit. And so did all of the others. You ruined the Computer Club."

Miyako let her hand fall as his gaze bore through it. "I didn't know." She said quietly, "I'm so sorry."

"No you're not." He said, "You're just like everyone else at this school. You follow what they tell you. You're a sheep. And here comes your shepherd now." He pointed down the hallway and Miyako followed his pale, boney finger and let her eyes fall upon Kana who was strutting through the hallways blowing kisses at random boys. "You'd best get back to the barn. You wouldn't want her to set the dogs after you."

Miyako wasn't sure how to respond to the boy just yet, so instead she grabbed one of the flyers off of the table and left him there to try desperately to catch the attention of the other students. Why was it that every time she tried to do something nice someone always got mad at her?

She read over the paper in her hands and smiled.

"_Please help save the clubs here at school,_

_Or we'll all be stuck in this hell,_

_With these clubs we could play pool,_

_Or sit in a circle, our problems we'll tell,_

_We could play on computers with such joyful pride_

_Ripping off Zombie's heads just for fun._

_Looking at maps and traveling worldwide,_

_Basking under the New York sun._

_But if you don't help save a school club,_

_We'll lose everything this school has to offer,_

_We'll all be as interesting as a garden shrub._

_Except the athletes because this school is prejudice._

—_Come see me, Koushiro Izumi, outside the students council office tomorrow morning before school if you want to save our school. _"

Miyako quickly shoved the flyer into her bag as Kana walked up to her with a smile, brushing a few strands of hair out of her face. She really was pretty, but Miyako couldn't see why every guy would always stare at her as she walked by. She'd been told many different rumours about Kana, but she didn't trust a single one of them. Except the one that said Kana had tried to sleep with their math teacher. That one was true, and she got him fired.

Miyako supposed that Kana just had a reputation. She knew she'd never done anything promiscuous, but it seemed that every boy thought she had, and she seemed to bask in that glory.

"Ready to go?" Kana asked.

"Go?" Miyako asked. "Where?"

"Outside silly." Kana said with a grin. "We're going to go watch the soccer practice!" Miyako's face fell but there was no time to argue or question her, as Kana had wrapped her hand around Miyako's wrist and started dragging her out the front door. The door smashed open and crashed against one of the hand rails outside, knocking it over. "God this school is a dump." Kana grunted.

Miyako wanted to defend the school, but Kana was right. The school _was_ a dump. The paint was peeling, the entire upper floor's electricity rarely turned on for a full day, and most of the toilets were permanently clogged. So many students had transferred schools that more often then not, each class had a split grade, each of Miyako's classes was shared with students from the grade below her. Including Daisuke—but he was only two months younger than her, so it was actually okay. The only thing that worked in the school was the athletic system. There were always a new supply of equipment, their showers worked fine—it seemed like every last bit of energy that had once gone into keeping the school afloat had gone straight into the athletic department.

Kana and Miyako left the broken hand rail laying in the damp grass, and hurried around the corner of the school, and toward the bleachers. There was no one on the field yet, but there was a group of mean looking girls sitting all along the front row of the bleachers themselves. They were the school's cheerleading squad which was evident due to their flawless complexions, their hair all pulled back into a ponytail and their need to move in a group.

Soon enough the boys soccer team had run onto the field. It seemed unfair that they got the afternoon off just to play soccer, but just like everything else in the school, it tipped in the athletics favour.

"WHOO!" The cheerleaders exploded into applaud and screams. A few of them even jumped out of their seat and performed messy, uncoordinated routines for fun. Only one of them sat quiet, her lips pursed, her legs crossed and her hands folded over top of them. She was wearing a short denim skirt, and a thin tank top with a letterman jacket that was far too big for her overtop of it.

Miyako turned to Kana who made a small squeaking sound. "I love her so much!"

"You'd better watch yourself." Miyako said with a roll of her eyes. "You're drooling."

Kana ignored her and stared toward the brunette girl who, upon closer examination had one pink streak in the front of her hair.

"Who is it?" Miyako asked. She'd never been much interested in anyone in the school besides Kana and Daisuke. Today she had already spoken to _one_ other person. She was off to a good start today, though she didn't want to push her luck. Especially since it was already running thin. That _one_ conversation hadn't gone so well in her favour.

"That's Mimi Tachikawa." Kana said as if it were obvious, which it probably was. "She's the most popular girl in school! She has been ever since she set foot in here two and a half years ago. She was cheerleading captain in her first year. That next to almost never happens!" Kana was squealing like a preteen girl raving about their favourite boy band. "I want to be her."

Miyako rolled her eyes once more. "You can do better."

"No!" Kana slapped Miyako's shoulder, "There is no one better than Mimi Tachikawa! And don't you forget it—Ohh look there he is!" Miyako turned quickly to the field and saw that Kana wasn't lying for once. Daisuke was passing the ball back and forth with another player as they warmed up. He was wearing his jersey which had a large white number fourteen emblazoned on the front, but Miyako knew it should have read number one. He was so talented, kicking the ball back and forth... she wondered if he was also good at the game itself.

"So why were you talking to Captain Dorkula?" Kana asked. "In the lobby? I thought I told you the day we met not to disobey me."

Miyako nodded slowly and shrunk down in her seat. "I'm sorry." She said.

"I'll forgive you if you promise never to do it again." Kana said.

"I promise." Miyako nodded. She couldn't afford to have Kana _not_ forgive her. She was her only friend.

"Good." Kana nodded. "But why _were_ you talking to him?" She seemed genuinely curious, which was new for her, so Miyako straightened her back and actually decided to tell her something for once.

"He wants to save the school clubs and fix the wrong that was made with the athletics program." Miyako told her simply. "It's really a good idea, I just wonder what he's planning."

"You'll not help him." Kana said firmly. "Promise me you won't help him or talk to him. Athletics is our life Miyako. We need the money to be in their pockets."

"We've never been to a sporting match." Miyako pointed out, sure that Kana was just afraid of upsetting the balance. She couldn't tip the scale or Mimi Tachikawa would fall off the top of the pyramid, and that couldn't happen.

"I promise." Miyako found herself saying again. Why did she make so many promises to her friend when she didn't even understand them? It didn't matter much to her though because she'd gotten her wish. Today was different than most days, and she spent a full hour watching Daisuke play soccer—and he really was good. Eventually it was time for class again and the two girls finished up their lunch and hurried down the steps of the bleachers.

"Hold on!"

They were stopped by one of the cheerleaders who tapped Kana on the shoulders. "Your name is Kana Hinada right?" The blonde girl asked. Kana nodded, her mouth hanging open. The cheerleader smiled and nodded, "I like your hair."

"Thanks!" Kana gasped with delight. Suddenly there was a sharp pain in the back of Miyako's head and her glasses flew off of her face, landing in the grass next to a rolling soccer ball.

Miyako snatched her glasses up and put them back on her face before picking up the soccer ball.

"Pass the ball!" Someone said behind her.

"Watch where you're kicking this thing." Miyako said harshly as she turned around and heaved the ball through the air toward the tanned boy who was standing in front of her. She froze as he caught the ball.

"I'm sorry... Miko, isn't it?" He asked.

"Miyako..." She corrected.

"Sorry Miyako," He said with a smile before backing up with a spring to his step, and then turning back to the game.

"He knows my name..." Miyako said under her breath, unable to keep the excitement to herself.

"Because you just told him." Kana said, rather unimpressed with her friend's display of total 'un-coolness'. "Just promise me you'll play it cool." Kana said, "The cheerleaders just complimented me—I think they want us in their group. So I'll just have to get together with a jock, and get a facial—and then _BAM_! We're one of them." Miyako was certain against all odds that the cheerleaders did not want her, just Kana. Which meant she'd be losing her only friend... "Just make sure you don't do anything to ruin my reputation. Just think about what Miyako would do, and then do the opposite."

Miyako bit her bottom lip to avoid a mean response, too afraid to spark up an argument between her and her only link to sanity, but she was mad with Kana for the rest of the day, not that Kana noticed at all. But it was because of this anger that she made a very daring decision on the walk home from school.

Kana had gotten in her mother's expensive car and bid farewell to Miyako, leaving her to walk home alone. She walked in complete silence until she reached the very colourful, animal friendly house of Koushiro Izumi.

He was outside in the backyard talking to his mother. He caught sight of her and the two stared at one another, eyes locked onto each other. Finally Koushiro gave up, and walked toward the fence-line where Miyako was waiting for him. She wasn't sure exactly what she was doing, but words began to pour out of her mouth.

"I want to come to your protest." She said quickly. His face suddenly turned into a smile, but it fell just as quickly.

"You'll just ditch me like you did the Computer Club." He said.

"I promise you." She said. "I will be at your protest tomorrow morning."

And then his face had lit up again. Miyako had made two very different promises, and suddenly... she wasn't sure exactly which one she planned on keeping...


	2. Sub-Basement

**U/N:** This is the first look at a different narrator, which should be happening more frequently as things progress. Less characters from the actual show showed up, obviously, but I'm working with who I have, and slowly I'm going to be weaving them all in, sooo they'll all be there. Not so sure how to get Jou in yet... but whatever :P

I'm trying to make myself like Koushiro, and when I write him I kind of do, more than Miyako in this case, who is usually my favourite character, but they'll all change slightly as their characters progress... anyway... You should all like... review and stuff...

**Title:****Digimon Adventure ~Negative 01~**

**By: Urazamay King**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or its characters.**

**Chapter 2: Sub-Basement**

"Have you had enough to eat dear?" Mrs Izumi asked her son over the loud squawking of the cockatoo that lived in the room just past the kitchen. Koushiro nodded absentmindedly to his mother, but she ignored his response and set off to the stove to whip up another few pancakes for him. She knew he never ate enough when he was busy.

And that he was.

Planning a protest wasn't a normal occurrence for a regular high school student, but when that high school student happened to be Koushiro, it was almost a monthly event. Last month it had been that the only male facilities that flushed after usage were in the teachers' lounge and the boys locker room, and since he was neither an instructor nor part of any of the athletic teams he had no permission to use either. Of course he never used the washrooms at school, his house was only a five minute walk away, and they were disgusting. Which was part of the previous month's protest about hiring a custodian who wasn't drunk for every waking hour of the day.

But no one ever joined him in his efforts to better the school, and so his protests were weak and looked at as a joke, but he never stopped. He wouldn't let simple minded individual's take control of him. He was always taught to do what he thought was right, and his parents stood up for him eighty percent of the time. The other twenty percent was when he was rebelling against their ruling.

His mother dropped a stack of pancakes onto his plate as he scribbled down notes that he planned to hand to the principle. He didn't care about how legible the note really was, since he was fairly certain it would never be read by anyone except for himself. And perhaps Miyako.

Miyako... out of nowhere, a girl of such intelligence had come into his life, and then ruined it within a week, and now, once more, she was back. She was going to help. He knew he had some sort of attachment to her. His mother studied weird things from time to time, trying to find something to bide her time when she wasn't scooping animal poop off of the living room floor.

One of the weird things she chose wasn't quite as awful as the others though, and Koushiro actually found himself interested, reading up on the subject.

"People are drawn to other people who will make an impact on their life" was the gist of everything he'd learned. And he knew very well that Miyako was an important person in his life somehow or another. He saw her everywhere, their paths kept crossing, and she was the one and only student who had picked up a flyer for his protest.

He could only hope that the impact on his life she was to make would be a good one.

"Are you almost ready?" Mr Izumi asked from the other side of the kitchen island, not looking from the paper in his hands. "You can't miss class, so you'd best be going if you plan to have that protest."

Koushiro nodded and groaned as if his father had asked him the same question a hundred times.

Finally though Koushiro slipped from his seat, his feet hitting the ground—the chairs were tall—and grabbed his backback from the doorway.

"You didn't eat your pancakes," Mrs Izumi called to him.

"Give them to the bird!" Koushiro shouted over his shoulder before running out of the kitchen and toward the hallway. He slipped his shoes on and was out the door, dragging his jacket behind him. His hair was a mess, since he'd accidentally fallen asleep the night before instead of staying up to finish the work so he'd have time to shower before school. But the protest couldn't wait just because his hair wasn't clean.

Especially not now that Miyako was coming. For the first time he'd have support. And maybe Miyako, who was, unmistakably pretty could convince others to join the protests, and then soon the entire school would protest and finally he'd have his way.

He knew it wasn't likely. High school was meant to suck for those were weren't popular. That's why it was invented. To suppress kids into thinking they are worthless so they didn't overthrow the government in later years.

Koushiro knew he wouldn't have to overthrow the government, since he knew full well that he'd rule this country someday.

He cut across the lawn of the school, slipping through the side door, closest to the Office, and sat outside the door. Miyako wasn't there yet, but he was a few minutes early he knew, so he was willing to wait for her before raising his signs. He did however ready them, pulling them from his pack and unrolling them.

The door next to him opened and he turned excitedly to greet Miyako, but he found it was just a random kid. The kid smiled at him though, so that was nice of him. He recognized him from his classes but didn't care to remember his name, he was followed closely by the vice principle.

"You again?" She asked, her lips pursed. "This has got to stop. You're not getting anywhere. Give up."

"Never." Koushiro said defiantly. "Not until order is restored."

"This is order." She said through gritted teeth, her fingertips turning white as she squeezed her mug of steaming coffee to vent her anger. "It's restored. You're looking for uprising. You're looking for change you'll never have. Because you want a peaceful world. No one else does. So just stop with the protests or I'll have to suspend you."

She began to storm down the hallway, but Koushiro stopped her. "You're wrong." He said. "I'm not the only one looking for peace. The others just don't know it yet."

She looked over her shoulder and scoffed, "No one else would risk the danger these protests put to their reputation."

"Wrong again." Koushiro said with a sly grin. "I happen to have someone due to arrive any minute now to help me."

"Right," She said, "Well I'll be sure to wake you from your delusional dream before classes start." And then she was gone, walking down the hallway toward her office where she worked as hard as she could to keep the unbalance, just like every other teacher at the school. But she was the worst by far. Sensei Ito. The worst human being to ever set foot on the school grounds. And this wasn't just Koushiro's opinion, it was the opinion school wide. Even the popular kids who benefited from her rule.

As the time went on, the door opened again and again, but each time it was someone different than who he was expecting. Perhaps Miyako was coming through a different door?

He looked down the hall where crowds of students filled the hallways now. Class was soon to start...

Feeling ultimately let down, Koushiro slowly rolled up his makeshift signs and put them back in his backpack, zipping it up as much as it would with the rolled of paper sticking out.

He knew better to rely on others. Why did he always let his judgement down? Was he really that lonely that he would trust another? Expecially one who had already screwed him over? He ran his fingers through his hair, a substitute for what he wanted to do, which was punch the wall next to him. He wanted to vent his frustration at himself... he had been such a fool thinking that Miyako would come...

He walked slowly down the hallway to the throngs of other students with a sigh.

As he passed the glass wall of Sensei Ito's office she held up a notebook where, in black marker she had written two words 'No show?'

She had the sense that he needed. She knew Miyako wouldn't come. She knew what had to be done, and she knew how things were run.

Perhaps she was really right all along.

Maybe it was time to give up.

* * *

Miyako shot through the streets, her hair tied up in a messy ponytail and covered by the bandanna she had found the night before. The night that she went to bed early after preparing her lunch in advance. After finishing all of her homework and setting everything together, ready to leave early in the morning. She'd set her alarm clock. She'd done everything right! She had been so determined to get to school early to get to Koushiro's protest.

But she was late. Cursing under her breath about how she was always late, she skidded around the corner, passing two of the Hooligans as they walked slowly and carelessly down the Dark-Alley. She didn't even care about them at that moment, she was usually pretty scared of them, but she was determined to get to school in time to see Koushiro. She had to.

She wrenched open the doors to the school, pulling on the metal handles as hard as she could. She leapt into the school, and looked down the hallway toward the Office. It was empty. The whole school seemed empty... She checked the large clock that hung on the wall opposite her and realized that class was about to begin.

She ran, weaving her way through the hallways, a sense of guilt growing stronger and stronger inside her as she bit her lip and thought hard about how to make it up to Koushiro.

She turned sharply into the classroom as the bell rang and ran right into something sending both her, and whatever it was, crashing to the tiled ground.

"Interesting entrance." Sensei Akimoto said to her as he grabbed her arms. Her face turned red as the entire class laughed at her. "But I'd prefer you to be late than to run over our new students."

Her face, if possible, grew redder as she straightened her glasses to see a blonde haired boy sitting on the ground at her feet. He was wearing white pants and a plaid shirt concocted of dark greens and blues.

Miyako looked away from him quickly to the rest of the class where every student except one was laughing at her. Her eyes trailed to Kana who was glaring at her harder than ever. Miyako knew why instantly, her little stunt had damaged both of their reputation. She'd be known as the clutz from now on.

Miyako's eyes flicked to Daisuke who was grinning at her, but only for a moment. Finally she looked back to the blue eyed boy on the floor. She reached down and grabbed his outstretched hand, pulling him to his feet.

"I'm so sorry..." Miyako said quietly, her lips concealed by his shoulder as he faced her.

"No worries," He said, patting her shoulder. He then turned to the class with a grin, but it wasn't like the others. The others were all laughing at her, including Daisuke as much as she hated to admit it, but this boy was genuinely happy, even after having been pushed over as he tried to make his first impression to a group of high school students. "As I was saying," He said, "My name is Takeru, I was born in Japan, yes, but I moved to France. You get it now?" He was directing this to Daisuke who nodded in understanding.

Miyako felt a little comfort in knowing that he wasn't the brightest person ever and would probably forget about her dive to the floor pretty quickly. So the boy was Takeru though... Miyako let out an audible groan as she remembered her promise to Sensei Akimoto that she would show the new kid around the school.

Of course she didn't actually have the choice, but still.

"Miyako, take your seat." Sensei Akimoto shot to her quickly. She jumped in surprise, and slipped past Takeru, her head hung low as she hurried to the back of the room where she sat next to Kana who had already laid a note on her desk. She knew it was Kana's because it was written in pink ink.

'To Miyako' it read on the front.

_No duh,_ Miyako thought harshly. She unfolded the paper and read the contents.

'You. Me. Bleachers. Lunch.'

Just four words, but Miyako knew it couldn't be good, but when she turned apologetically to Kana she found that she was actually smiling instead of scowling like she'd thought.

Miyako turned, confused, back to the front of the class where Takeru was speaking with Sensei Akimoto in a hushed voice. Finally Takeru gave his final nod, and carried a stack of papers to the desk behind Daisuke where he'd been instructed to sit. It was the only empty seat, and it was only empty because that creepy kid dropped out of school to join the Hooligans.

Throughout the class Miyako copied notes from the board half-heartedly as she gazed periodically between three of her classmates.

Kana, who seemed truly happy, but Miyako could see something behind her eyes. What was Kana's notes intentions? Was she really happy? Did she just want to talk to the popular girls again? What was it? Miyako wasn't sure of course, and decided she'd have to go to find out what was up.

If not for Kana, than for Daisuke, who was staring out the window again today. He was wearing running pants, and a rather tight t-shirt with a bunch of musical scores on it. He hadn't worn that shirt in a few months. Miyako shook her head and got back to work, upset about how well she knew that.

And finally, there was Takeru, who seemed pretty nice, and actually paid attention during class unlike most of the others, though, the way Miyako saw it, he didn't have much of a choice, he was behind two months already.

After jotting down a quick answer for the next question, she glanced back up at Takeru and jumped, upon finding he was looking toward her. Her face turned red, and she practically doubled over and decided to finish the rest of her work without looking away from her paper, which proved pretty difficult since the questions were written on the board, and not in front of her. She thought about risking a glance away from her paper, but settled on doodling all over the page instead of answering the questions. It was safer.

"Class," Sensei Akimoto said loudly. "We have ten minutes left before the end of class, and I have another announcement to make. The final assignment presentations will be coming up soon, and since you haven't gotten your assignment, I figure now would be a good time." The class murmured in protest, but no one put up much of an effort. "You'll pair up and pick a book from the approved school board list, and you will do a multimedia project on the subject." Miyako's eyes widened in fear, she didn't want to do a project with Kana—she never did any of the work! "You'll hand in an essay reviewing one of the main themes of the novel, and then something else. Anything else. A painting, a movie, a rap. I don't care. Just get it done. Presentations should be ten minutes long, and be done by the end of this month. Now pair up."

Miyako sighed as she spun toward Kana, knowing she'd have to pair up with her, but to her surprise, Kana wasn't even in her seat, she was up at the front of the class talking to some girl Miyako barely knew.

Kana had just ditched her. Perhaps there was some hidden animosity in the note she'd been handed. Soon enough, the class was all paired up, leaving Miyako seemingly alone.

"Is everyone partnered up then?" Sensei Akimoto asked.

Two hands shot into the air. One was Miyako's, and her eyes narrowed in on the other, seeing that it was Takeru's. He was already so different than everyone else, why did she have to be partnered with him. He just seemed weird, and she'd been unable to force her blush to go away since he'd caught her looking at him.

"Motomiya?" Sensei Akimoto asked, prodding Daisuke with a ruler in the side of the head. "Are you paying attention?"

"What?" Daisuke asked, causing the class to erupt into laughter. Sensei Akimoto was unimpressed. He shook his head in disproval.

"I wrote the assignment when we had one student less than we do now." He said, motioning to Takeru, "So the three of you can pair up, just... make sure Daisuke does something." He was looking at Miyako when he said it too, but why was it her responsibility?

Still though, she couldn't help but feel happy about being paired with Daisuke, or the frustration with being paired with Takeru, and the ultimate confusion of being paired with both.

Sensing from the gaze she was given that she was the leader, the two boys gathered their things and headed back to her desk, pulling separate chairs to sit next to her.

There was an awkward silence as they sat around each other. Finally Takeru broke it.

"Cool doodles." He said, pointing to the scribbles Miyako had drawn.

"Thanks..." She said quietly, trying to avoid eye contact, but having trouble keeping away from his unusually bright blue eyes.

He nodded with a grin, "Anyway, we should do The Mortal Instruments. I'm reading it now. Good book." I shook my head and he nodded in understanding. It wasn't on the school boards approved reading list. Only books that had been around a long time and were boring and awful were allowed to be read. Anything Christian too it seemed.

"I read a book once about a sinking boat..." Daisuke said.

"The Titanic?" Takeru asked. Daisuke clapped his hands and pointed at Takeru.

"That was a movie Daisuke." Miyako said, rolling her eyes, "We watched it last year in History."

"Oh... right." He said, and then, "You were in my class?" She rolled her eyes with a smile to hide the annoyance and pain that was churning inside her. He didn't even recognize her and they'd been in the same class as long as she could remember.

"But he might be on the right track." Takeru said, "There's a ship wreck in the Life of Pi? We could read that. It's about a tiger." Daisuke's face lit up excitedly, and Miyako knew that she was clearly outvoted. She would never have picked that, and instead probably would have chosen something childish to get through it faster, as she wasn't much into school assignments.

But it was chosen, and for the remaining minutes of class Daisuke talked about how he could dress up as a tiger for the second portion of the assignment.

Finally Miyako breathed in relief as she was released from the confinement of class as the bell rang. Was that was it felt like to sit through a whole class? She'd have to be sure to be late more often—if that were possible.

"Don't forget to show Takeru-Kun around the school Miyako!" Sensei Akimoto called out. Miyako groaned, freezing half-way to the door as the students spilled out around her and left the room.

"Looks like fate wants us together," Takeru laughed, clapping her on the back as he stepped up behind her. She smiled sarcastically and led the way out of the room.

"Don't forget about lunch!" It was Kana as she zipped past, rushing off to her next class.

Miyako stared after her, still trying to figure out how to decode the note she'd left for her.

"So... that tour?" Takeru asked.

"Not much to see." Miyako said. "Just keep walking, you'll find dented lockers and peeling paint every which way."

"Noticed," He replied with a grin. Why was he always so happy? "How about we work on getting to my next class then?"

"Where is it?" She asked, starting off down the hallway.

"No clue." He said.

"_What_ is it?"

"History,"

"Wonderful." Miyako said sarcastically before she could stop herself.

"You too?" Takeru asked, reading her sarcasm clearly. "Wow, pretty funny how fate works, huh?" Miyako hummed in response, her eyebrows lifting a little. "I like your hair by the way—do you believe in fate?" He seemed pretty hell-bent on the fate topic. "My brother doesn't. He calls me stupid at least once a day."

Miyako walked on in silence, leading him toward their classroom, which Takeru took pretty clearly.

"Fine, don't want to talk?" He asked, "That's fine, I'll be here whenever you decide to though."

Eventually she'd emerged into the History room, and left Takeru helpless as she sat in her seat. She felt bad, but she couldn't handle it at the moment. She had so many awful emotions bottled up already toward him, and she'd met him just over an hour ago. She decided to stay away as much as possible.

Takeru was forced to introduce himself to the class, all of which responded pretty unenthusiastically. Everyone except Hikari Yagami that is.

"That's so cool." She said with a smile, "France? Was it fun? Do you know French?"

"Non." Takeru said with a wink, "Not much into talking in foreign countries. I just got scared."

Hikari laughed loudly, "So funny—he's so funny."

Half of the class groaned, but Miyako didn't mind. She did, however, find that the girl was incredibly annoying most days, though it wasn't her fault. She grew up with no friends, and the only one being the teacher. No one wanted to befriend the sick girl. She was such a teacher's pet though... But the reason Miyako didn't mind was because of her laugh, it was cute, and even though she disliked the girl, she couldn't deny the fact that she enjoyed listening to her laugh.

Half of the class was devoted to learning about France from Takeru and the other half from the quietest girl in school performing her final assignment. Finally though, it was lunch time. Miyako hurried from the classroom.

"Miyako!" Takeru called, "You're supposed to lead me around! Where's the cafeteria?"

She looked back and saw him jumping up and down in a ground of students. "Follow the ants to the picnic Takeru!" She called. He understood pretty quickly, and then he was out of Miyako's sight. She turned the corners sharply and quickly heading for the back door to the school, and just as she opened the door finally, breathing in fresh air, a boy had walked over, resulting in him getting hit in the head by the door.

Miyako cried out, rushing to his side. "I'm so sorry!" She gasped, this was the second boy she'd knocked over in just two hours, and she was willing to bet that the day couldn't get any worse. But she was wrong. The boy who had been knocked over was Koushiro Izumi. She bit her lip hard as he looked up to her. She'd already forgotten about him.

"You..." He grunted, shaking her off of him. He used the brick school wall for balance and pulled himself to his feet before rubbing his hand under his nose to check for blood. When it came out clean he glared at Miyako. "I wanted you to protest the school—not my face."

Was that a joke? Miyako tried to laugh, but Koushiro's glare intensified.

_Not a joke. Koushiro does not joke. Noted._

"I meant to come!" She insisted, "I swear I did. I was just late! I—"

"I don't care about whatever stupid excuses you come up with." Koushiro growled, "You didn't show."

"We can do it after school?" Miyako asked.

"Too late. The protest is over. We..." He trailed off, "I mean, _I_ lost." There was a real sense of finality to his voice that stopped Miyako from apologizing and fighting back. The two stared at each other for a moment, and then Koushiro turned and entered the door Miyako had just come out of.

She felt worse about that then she ever had. Even the time she'd accidentally flushed her brother Mantaru's hamster down the toilet didn't measure up to this. She was the worst human being ever.

But things couldn't get worse. There was nothing lower than the basement, which was where she felt she was in terms of a good day.

She shook the feeling off, and turned toward the bleachers in the distance. She saw, sitting on the bottom bench was a single girl, and she knew it had to be Kana. She hurried toward her, slowing to a stop when she got there. Through pants from running she managed to apologize for being late.

"It's fine." Kana said sharply. "You promised me yesterday you wouldn't go to the protest."

"I didn't." She replied.

"Good." Kana said. "I wouldn't want your reputation to drop to sub-basement." Sub-basement. So there was something lower than basement.

"What do you mean?" Miyako asked.

"Well, joining the geek's protests," Kana said, slipping off of the bleachers revealing that she was wearing a cheerleading uniform, "pushing the new kid over, being love struck by the jock who doesn't know your name... it would all be too much after..."

"After...?" Miyako asked.

Kana said nothing, but the feeling of something cracking open against the back of her head, before the oozing goop trailed down her neck answered for her. Miyako clamped her mouth and eyes shut as cheerleaders jumped out from behind the bleachers, each with an egg in each of their hands. After the second egg hit her in the forehead, dripping the yolk and whites down her face she clenched her fists tight, trying to avoid the pain the oncoming tears were causing her. Crying would make it all worse.

Soon though, it was over and she heard the laughing cheerleaders fade away, Kana's laugh the most prominent in Miyako's mind.

So there she was. Sitting in the sub-basement of the worst day ever.


End file.
